Bottom IR sensors

[ethane]

So I got my Moto X recently, and I noticed that the bottom half of my Moto X wasn't as "sensitive" in responding to hand waves.

If I put my hand above my Moto X and move it downwards towards the top half of the screen, the Active Display lights up when my hand is barely a third of the way across the screen:




But if I put my hand below my Moto X and move it up towards the bottom part of the screen, Active Display doesn't light up when my hand is more than a third of the way over the screen, usually lighting up only when my hand is halfway across the screen:



I've also noticed that waving 2 fingers over the top IR sensors activates Moto Display, but waving 2 fingers over the bottom sensors does not.

My question is, is this normal? I'm not sure if my bottom IR sensors are working properly - I have a screen protector on, and even though it has holes for the IR sensors i'm not sure if it interferes with the sensors somehow.

 

[ethane]

Also, i've tried isolating the bottom and top IR sensors by placing a sheet of paper vertically near the middle of the screen. When I do that, I can activate the top IR sensors by waving my hand around the upper portion, but when i wave my hand around the lower portion I cannot activate the IR sensors at all.

 

[chris20nyy]

Bottom ir sensors are for activating when reaching for the phone as if to pick it up. Mimmick that your reaching to puck the phone up by the bottom sensors only, it'll activate.

 

[Citizen Coyote]

You can also check to see if they're working by going into a very dark room and looking for them. You might need to wave your hand over the phone first, but they should show up as two little red dots.

 

[Hungerdunger]

By a matter of elimination (holding pieces of paper over three sensors at a time, I've discovered that the only sensor that will activate the screen is the top left one.

I DO have a screen protector which appears to have a cut out for the top left one but not the others so I don't know whether that is the problem, and having fitted it with no dust or air bubbles (unusual for me!) I don't really want to take it off to test it. So could someone with no screen protector at all try isolating the sensors to see which ones work for them? (You'll probably need a couple of sheets of paper to block out all light)

 

[luke31]

By a matter of elimination (holding pieces of paper over three sensors at a time, I've discovered that the only sensor that will activate the screen is the top left one.

I DO have a screen protector which appears to have a cut out for the top left one but not the others so I don't know whether that is the problem, and having fitted it with no dust or air bubbles (unusual for me!) I don't really want to take it off to test it. So could someone with no screen protector at all try isolating the sensors to see which ones work for them? (You'll probably need a couple of sheets of paper to block out all light)

You shouldn't use the pieces of paper technique. Hover your hand over the bottom sensors and then raise your hand slowly straight up. The bottom sensors work from a specific height.

EDIT: Just to clarify, covering up the top sensor will never work because that's where the proximity sensor is. When it is covered up, the phone thinks that it's in your pocket, and won't activate no matter what. It's working as designed.

 

[Green_Laser]

I've also noticed that waving 2 fingers over the top IR sensors activates Moto Display, but waving 2 fingers over the bottom sensors does not.

I'd say it's normal, same behavior on mine
not once has it not come on when reaching for it (which is a feature I really like and have gotten used to; I accidentally do it to my other devices not understanding why they don't come on too

 

[Hungerdunger]

You shouldn't use the pieces of paper technique. Hover your hand over the bottom sensors and then raise your hand slowly straight up. The bottom sensors work from a specific height.

EDIT: Just to clarify, covering up the top sensor will never work because that's where the proximity sensor is. When it is covered up, the phone thinks that it's in your pocket, and won't activate no matter what. It's working as designed.

Good point about the proximity sensor. So instead of covering it up, I held some paper vertically across the phone, so the top sensors weren't covered, but they definitely couldn't sense any movement of my hands over the bottom sensors, and I still couldn't get the screen to activate when moving my hands over the bottom sensors at various heights and angles.

 

[luke31]

Good point about the proximity sensor. So instead of covering it up, I held some paper vertically across the phone, so the top sensors weren't covered, but they definitely couldn't sense any movement of my hands over the bottom sensors, and I still couldn't get the screen to activate when moving my hands over the bottom sensors at various heights and angles.

I believe that there is only one IR sensor at the top that is like the ones on the bottom. It is to the right of the earpiece. sandwiched between the earpiece and Camera. So, if you have all sensors to the right of earpiece, and wave your hand around the back, it should work. And try the bottom thing without covering up anything at the top; just slowly shoot your hand straight up at the bottom sensors. Do not cover up the top at all, other than that one small IR sensor to the right.

 

[Lawbreaker]

I am pretty sure that what is actually happening here is that those are only IR emitters at the corners of the phone. The proximity sensor at the top is the only IR sensor and it is looking for a reflection from one of the emitters. That is why moving your hand up from the bottom only half an inch above the screen doesn't activate the display, but moving down from the top at the same height does. If you move up from the bottom at a height of about 4 or 5 inches above the screen, like Moto recommends somewhere in the help screens, the display activates because the sensor can pick up the reflection.

 

[chris20nyy]

Bottom ir sensors are for activating when reaching for the phone as if to pick it up. Mimmick that your reaching to puck the phone up by the bottom sensors only, it'll activate.

I'll quote my post in case it was missed. This is the exact way these sensors are supposed to function. Top is for sensing the "wave over", bottom is for anticipating picking the phone up.